§ 3501.221Appointment of interpreters

(A) To encourage voting, a board of elections may appoint persons who are fluent in a non-English
language to serve as interpreters to assist voters in certain election precincts. If the board determines
that the number of non-English-speaking electors in a precinct indicates a need for an interpreter and
provision of an interpreter is feasible and practical in terms of the number of such electors, the board
may appoint an interpreter for such precinct in the same manner as other precinct election officials
are appointed. A person appointed pursuant to this section may only provide to voters such
assistance in the non-English language as may be provided by election officials to English speaking
voters. All requirements relating to the qualifications of election officials apply to persons appointed
under this section. Interpreters shall complete a program of instruction as provided in section
3501.27 of the Revised Code and shall be compensated in the manner and amount as provided by
section 3501.28 of the Revised Code for other election officials. A person appointed pursuant to this
section may also serve as a precinct election officer; such person shall be compensated as though he
served only in the capacity of an election official, and he need not undergo a program of instruction a
second time for the same election unless required by the board.


(B) No person appointed under division (A) of this section, while performing the duties of such
office, shall:


(1) Wear any badge, sign, or other insignia or thing indicating a preference for any candidate or for
any question submitted;


(2) Influence or attempt to influence any voter to vote for or against any candidate or issue submitted
at such election.


(C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.




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